Mon, 02 Sep 2002
To whom it may concern; Kay Lee
I'm writing this letter to inquire about an investigation that began on 07/01/02 at Hernando Correctional Institution. This investigation involved allegations made against Dr. Poppy, one of Hernando's psychiatric specialists.
These allegations were about inappropriate sexual behavior Dr. Poppy was expressing toward inmates. I was one of those inmates.I was called into Assistant Warden Bateman's office on 07/01/02, my EOS date, to write a statement concerning what had been done to me.
Specifically, Mr. Poppy would use his considerable power to either order me to his office or if he was unsuccessful he would place me on a callout which I was obligated to comply with.
He has fondled me (and others) and threatened retaliation if I rebuked his advances. He showed up unannounced at my work sites and wait for me outside of offices of other employees.
He also called dorm officers and ordered them to send me to his office immediately under the guise that he had heard I was depressed. It should be noted that I was not on his caseload during these incidents from Late April 2002 to July 2002. This is significant due to the fact that It is highly unusual for another Psych specialist (Poppy) to constantly seek out inmates under another's caseload.
Check the callouts. They are a written record of his inappropriate behavior. Dates and times are forthcoming. Others who are afraid will come forward I hope.
Dr. Poppy advanced himself in an unwelcome manner and used his authority to make sure that I didn't speak. He touched me and often said things that were not consistent with his professional career. He violated me as a woman and took advantage of his position as a psych specialist to manipulate many of the girls and myself at that institution.He is in a delicate position as a psyche specialist and should not be adding mental anguish to the girls on his case load. It is a disgusting act when a male comes into an institution to prey on the women there, using his position of power to ensure silence. It is a position that no woman, no matter the circumstances of her position, should be subjected to.
As a victim of Dr. Poppy's perverted mind, I will not allow this to get lost in the cracks, as so many things tend to do within the department. I'm no longer incarcerated and can not face retaliation for speaking out to correct a wrong. I do have every intention to see that something is done to correct this.This is not a case of out of sight out of mind. What he did to me as a person and as a woman will not be tolerated or forgotten.
I would appreciate an answer concerning this matter. I did make it clear to Inspector Rogers when he called me at my home that I would assist in anything that I'm needed in. It has been a disappointment that the department has allowed this man to remain in a woman's institution, probably still victimizing others.
This victim will not silently allow him to have violated me. As previously stated in this letter, I will not allow this to just vanish. I will continue to check on this and will take whatever steps I feel are needed to ensure that this will be corrected. Some interesting facts about this individual's employment history and military service will be divulged in the meantime.
Certain staff are prepared to come forward as well to cooberate facts regarding this pervert. The Department is clearly negligent in allowing an individual with his past to continue in his current capacity. Obviously, extensive background checks are not being completed on prospective employees. I do hope you have some answers for me.I would also like to inform you that there is a copy of this letter being kept with the file I have created in my effort to follow through. The specifics will come soon. The Department would be well advised to assign a qualified, objective inspector to this case.
PARTIAL LIST OF OFFENSES DR. POPPY DID TO ME.
5/31/02: At approximately 5:00 p.m:
Dr. Poppy rubbed my buttocks and slipped his arm around my waist and kissed my neck.6/3/02: At approximately 8:30AM:
Dr. Poppy gave me a letter and blank pass to come and see him anytime. The letter was talking about how much he enjoyed what happened on 5/31/02 and how he would love to do it again. I gave it to Assistant Warden Bateman upon my release.At approximately 4:00pm, that same day [6/3/02]
Dr. Poppy came to my work looking for me to see if I would come by his office to have some "play time".6/5/02: At approximately 1:30pm
Dr. Poppy waited outside what is referred to as the honor dorm (a building where some offices are kept) to have a conversation with me. He was constantly waiting at my work or other appointments to "talk" to me.6/10/02 At approximately 4:00pm
I had an appointment with Dr. Poppy and he kept saying, "Just f*cking touch me, just give me what the f*ck I want". At this point I was no longer even on his case load but he kept putting me on callouts to come and see him. I was assigned to Linda Oberst. She was my psyche. spec.6/11/02: At approximately 2:00pm
Dr. Poppy came to my work and asked me to come to his office because he had 45 mins. free. I didn't go and later on...Same Date [6/11/02] at 5:00pm
Dr. Poppy observed me standing in evening pill line. In front of officer Erin Mancini he went on to say "You didn't show up for your appointment and I want to see you now." By doing this he didn't give me any option to get out of the appointment. Please note that I was not on his case load and should not have had to see him. I had been off of his case load since March. This also occurred in the presence of other inmates in the pill line.6/28/02: At approximately 11:00am
After anger management class released, (a class he teaches) Dr. Poppy kept me and my friend Monique Williams afterwards. He asked Monique to step outside and told me to stay inside. He proceeded to try and kiss me. I put my hand up and said, "no". He then asked me if I was chicken and I said no I just didn't want this. I had moved over to the door and he put his hand on the door to block me from leaving. I pushed past his arm and walked out.Please be advised others are being subjected to this type of behavior and a staff member who is a colleague of his has filed a complaint about his behavior. Please do all you can to stop this predatory behavior. Thank you.
Thank you for your time. You will hear from me again and soon.
Sincerely,
"Bettye"
Friday, October 04, 2002
12:20 PM.
UPDATE: September 2003: Mr. Poppy was arrested recently while on the compound and escorted off the compound in handcuffs.
VICTIMS OF PERVERTED PSYCHIATRIST AT HERNANDO
I want you to know that in his office Mt. Poppy used to keep, as a tool for intimidation, a blank disciplinary report laying on his desk.
He was always saying how easily he could keep you past your due date to go home. Telling you how all he had to do was make his pen contact that paper and he controlled your freedom.
Girls with serious mental issues whom he was supposed to be in a position to provide therapy for would be even more scarred emotionally after his abuse.
He was allowed to have a bed in his office in addition to the chairs, which would have been sufficient. He would lock his doors and make you believe that he alone controlled whether you stayed at that prison or went to a worse one.. or even ever went home.
He was THE person who prescribed medication and was in charge of many programs to assist those with a mental health history. He instead made girls' mental health far worse and as a result, polluted society with ex-inmates far worse emotionally when they left than when they entered prison.
I gave a note he typed to me to Assistant Warden Bateman on the day I went home. The inspectors could have gone into his hard drive a year ago and saw he in fact had it on his computer but they quickly decided I was lying, not him.
[Had they looked] they could have seen he had placed on callouts (written orders placed on dorm bulletin boards) the names of girls NOT on his caseload, but another psych specialists' patients, to be ORDERED to report to his office at a set time or receive disciplinary reports.
A very troubled, but attractive girl received a disciplinary report from him for refusing to go to a "callout" that he had scheduled her for. Shedidn't go because she was petrified of more abuse. She was so scared of him and the abuse, demands, and threats. She lost her blue hat status, gain time and much more as punishment after being found guilty of the D.R. she received.
Asst. warden Bateman said the Inmate was retaliating when she explained why she wouldn't go in the psych counselors office ( Poppy). The inmate did what I did, she stopped taking her psychotropic medication so that she could be transferred to the worst women's prison in the state and locked down with the craziest women on earth in a little cell rather than go to his appointments.
She used to lay in the fetal position crying hysterically on her bunk after her appointments with this man [ T. Poppy].
He was quick to work closely with Major Comstock in their mutual dirty play with inmates. He and the Major used to share privileged information about the Inmates and he was quick to accuse guards of having relationships with the Inmates who were not doing anything but being kind.
The friends of his who routinely covered for him, Major Comstock, Ofc. Mancini, and more that will be publicized in an upcoming civil matter should be brought up on charges also. They WILL lose their jobs.
He is guilty of much more than the sexual aspect of this matter. He is guilty of SO much more. I hope you post this and urge all the girls and the families of them to go to every court hearing. I live near Dallas, Texas and will travel to every one I possibly can.
